Product Reviews

GolfWRX member testing: TPT Golf Nitro and Power Range shafts

Published

1 year ago

May 20, 2025

Our forum faithful are well acquainted with the incredible giveaways and review opportunities in the realm of threads and comments, but we want to ensure front-page readers are involved as well.

Check out what the most-trusted GolfWRXers have to say about the TPT Golf Nitro and Power Range shafts.

TPT Golf Nitro and Power Range Shafts

TPT on the Nitro and Power Range shafts

“The Nitro Range stands out for its outstanding torque-to-weight ratio. TPT focused on refining the shaft geometry and fiber placement. Nitro is the result of a methodical development process that optimized Final Element Analysis to its limit and uses the same automated process as the Power Range. Featuring low torque and a light design, Nitro delivers greater distance and tighter dispersion. Power Range is available for Drivers, Fairway Woods, and Hybrids.

“The Power Range shaft delivers stable and consistent performance for virtually any swing type, maximizing carry with high launch and low spin. Its unique manufacturing process ensures a balanced shaft for optimal control. Take the first step into TPT technology for high stability and precision. Nitro Range is available for only Drivers.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TPT Golf (@tptgolf)

How we choose our testers

GolfWRX staff evaluates each entry against the criteria laid out in the testing thread to determine the best fit for each specific product — For example, if a game-improvement iron is being tested, game-improvement iron-playing golfers will be considered.

Member testers

@Fourpar18: 5.7 handicap, 100-110 mph swing speed
@scottaz: 1.2 handicap, 115-118 mph swing speed
@CROCN: 2 handicap, 135-142 mph swing speed
@jjthomp2: 3.3 handicap, 115-117 mph swing speed
@mikes919: 12.2 handicap, 95-100mph

Member review highlights

@Fourpar18

“The shafts arrived yesterday and were packaged and were protected like no other company I have seen before! The shipping box came with an order number on it and the shafts were protected very well”

“Now, I was very skeptical when I did the online fitting because I have always played stiff to extra stiff shafts, and according to the TPT online fitting I fit into a 17 which is equal to R+ (I believe) in the driver, fairway, and hybrid. Coming off two right shoulder surgeries over the past two years I am slowly getting my speed back but I believe I am topping off and don’t think I will be getting faster anytime soon.”

Fourpar18’s gamer 3-wood shaft vs the TPT Power 17 HI

Fourpar18 also saw similar results with his hybrid shaft and improved results with his driver shaft, too. Check out the full results here.

“TPT Shaft felt amazing! Smooth and explosive and based on the numbers it was all around better!”

“The one thing that I can say about all three shafts is the smoothness of them all! It doesn’t matter how hard I swing or the miss hit they all felt the same. I think initially my favorite out the gate was the hybrid shaft. Not because of the numbers, but it felt so good off the face and I didn’t feel like I was going to hook it at all!”

@scottaz

“This will be my 2nd time testing TPT golf shafts on GolfWRX. Years ago (2018?) I was fortunate enough to test those early models. We were asked to go to a Club Champion near by and get fit. The 15LKP/MT/SW was the best option for me. My fitter suggested getting it tipped 1.5”. The results I had with that set up was so good.…then it broke. I can’t remember how many rounds I had with it, maybe 15. I was disappointed. I understood they were a new company, and kinks had to be worked out. But the difference was undeniable. It wasn’t a magic wand. I could still put a bad swing on it and get bad results. But it fit me better than anything I’ve played previously.”

“Since then, I played Ventus Black and the HZRDUS Hulk mostly. They worked well. But I was missing my TPT. I started looking into the new Nitro. I reached out to Jon to ask how it compares to the proto I had, and he pointed me in the right direction. Around the same time I ordered a qi35 with a GD VF to test before diving in with the Nitro and then got the email I was in for testing.

“I’m excited to see how the new line up compares. I did the online fitting and got 14LO across the board. But after some discussions with TPT, I went 14HI Nitro, fw and hybrid. I think it’ll be better for me adjusting it down then up, if needed. I’m currently playing a TM QI35 at 7* and 5 wood at 16* with GD VF’s (7x and 8x both tipped 1”) and my hybrid is the Titleist TSR2 on C1 with the VB 9tx. SS is mid/upper teens, with an aggressive move from the top. I can’t play to my current hc after the long winter but I’m back to playing a lot and I’m getting close.

“I’m not seeing the yardage bumps some of the others have but I wasn’t expecting that. What is obvious is the accuracy and precision. Not only in dispersion, but distance. I pay attention to this with irons but it’s not something I think about much with woods. Seeing my total distances so similar with each wood is pretty cool. This stands out in the wet conditions with no roll out. Very consistent and helpful.

“Each time I switch back to my other shafts for testing, I’m eager to jump back into the TPT. The GD VF and VB are obviously great shafts. But I see lefts more with the VF and at times a two way miss with the VB. I’ve been able to count on a fade with confidence with the TPT.”

@CROCN

“Got back from Mesquite, Nevada from the WLD Clash in the Canyon event Wednesday. A long drive back to Texas wishing that I could of used the TPT Nitro 21Hi during the competition, but probably not a good idea to put a new shaft into play this early without testing first.”

TPT Nitro 21Hi uncut played to 48″ w/ Jumbomax Ultralite Large grip 48 g. Swing Weight measured to D6. 195 CPM, 40 g, 4.5 degree torque. Callaway Paradym LD 4.5 degree head Set at N -1.

CROCN’s initial impressions of the TPT Nitro 21Hi on-course (Driver)

“First thoughts was how am I going to control this flexible shaft weighing 18 grams lighter than my normal gamer. My friend even made a comment after the first drive of how much the shaft flexed on the downswing. It took me a few swings on the range to get dialed in, but I soon fell in love with the stability of such a light shaft. The harder I went after the drive the better the shaft performed.”

TPT Nitro 21Hi uncut played to 48″ w/ Jumbomax Ultralite Large grip 48 g. Swing Weight measured to D6. 195 CPM, 40 g, 4.5 degree torque. Callaway Paradym LD 4.5 degree head Set at N -1.

CROCN’s initial impressions of the TPT Fairway 15 Loon-course (3-Wood)

“I really love the feel and workability of this shaft for my high swing speed. I have always had trouble with the previous shafts of hitting high spinners or pull hooks to the left with my 3W. Today, I was able to hit a fade on a dogleg right to carry a bunker at 275yds or a draw around a corner of a dogleg left to hit the downhill speed slot. The TPT Fairway 15 Lo felt super stable in my 3W and I am not scared to pull out the 3W on holes that my 2i just doesn’t have enough carry to get me over the trouble. I will definitely be putting this in my bag from now on. Hit 3-4 fairways were it was easier to work the ball with my 3W. I did miss to the left once by over cooking a draw into the trees. But I have never felt this good about my 3W in a long time. Finally, a super stable shaft for golfers with a high swing speed. Drove a short par 4 295 yards with a carry of 286 yds over a front bunker. Now, I don’t have to try to feather in a giant slice into these short par 4’s with my driver. I compete in a lot of 2 Man events so I am always going for the greens on par 4’s. Overall, the best 3W shaft I have used and it doesn’t feel like swinging a 2×4. Smooth, stable feel!”

“Nothing I have ever hit even compares to the results I am getting with this shaft. I can’t wait to try the TPT Nitro 21Hi in some upcoming LD competitions!”

@jjthomp2

“My results on their website were for 16Hi every time so that’s what I went with. Here are the 3 shafts I ended up with; for Driver- Nitro 16Hi with a 45” playing length, same as my current 3 Wood- Power 16Hi 42.75” playing length and Hybrid 16Hi 40.25” based off their recommended playing length on the website. So, I took a quarter inch off the 3 wood from my current gamer and added a quarter inch to the playing length on my hybrid.”

jjthomp2’s initial driver shaft testing

“Hit about 12 balls with my gamer and was averaging 288 yards total. Popped the Nitro in and holy smokes the ball speed jumped up to about 163 mph, my average went to 300 yards total. The only thing that I did not care for about this shaft is that it felt like I really had to go at it EVERY time. I took it “offline” for a bit to hit my stock fairway finder swing and it didn’t seem to hold up from a dispersion standpoint. I’m honestly not worried about yardage or ball speed with that swing it’s purely positional for me. That was the only knock. The Nitro was the real deal for me. It performed so well when I really jumped on a swing.”

“Man, the GT3 with this shaft is just unreal. The real feel was 44 degrees when we teed off so a bit of a struggle for me to stay loose but holy smokes this thing goes. Really pleased with it. I’m still working on the hybrid but I’m not sure the 3 wood shaft has a place in the bag at this time.”

@mikes919

“I’ll be testing the following TPT shafts over the course of the season:

18 Nitro Lo in a Ping G430 Max 9* Driver
18 Power Hi in a Titleist TSR2 16.5* Fairway
18 Power Hi in a Ping G425 19* Hybrid

“The main benefit I’m looking for with the TPT demo is to improve dispersion/consistency. My best driving days are the ones where I can consistently find the sweet spot on the club, even if my path is getting wonky. Theoretically, the spineless construction should really help with this. A little extra speed wouldn’t hurt either!”

“Initial impressions are very positive! All three TPT shafts feel extremely stable and smooth. I was expecting a very active feel and a lot of kick, based on the initial waggle. But this wasn’t the case at all. They just felt solid, all the way through impact. Overall feel of all shafts reminded me a bit of the blueboard profile that I normally gravitate to, maybe slightly more linear.

“For all three clubs, I hit the ball very straight today, and very high. It didn’t seem like I was spinning the ball all that much, especially with how little left/right movement I was seeing. Launch is definitely up across the board, and I would guess that spin is down. Main thing today was just to make sure I’m OK with the feel- I’ll get on a simulator at least once this week and start generating some real data. Exciting stuff!”

Initial Impressions & Appearance:

“Stated simply: they look awesome! The weaved carbon texture of the shafts gives them a sleek, high-tech feeling. The black/yellow color scheme is very eye-catching and looks especially great with the G430 graphics. They look like they were meant to be together!

“I really like how the graphics evenly wrap around each shaft; the appearance is similar regardless of how you rotate it.”

“The TPT shaft feel is quite unique. When you give them a waggle, they feel loose. The 18-series initially feels like R-flex, maybe even softer than your typical R. I expected to feel a ton of movement and loading/unloading in the swing. Giving them a real swing is a totally different experience; it’s like they respond to force! The more you give them, the more they stiffen up. Super stable throughout the swing, with a slight loading sensation at the top of the backswing. Somewhat like the feeling of a blueboard-type shaft in the backswing and transition; it feels like action is coming from the mid-section. As advertised, the feel is extremely similar across the whole line (driver, fairway, hybrid) even with the Nitro in driver and Power line in fairway/hybrid. To me, they all feel roughly the same.

“I didn’t detect much of a “kick” at impact in my first session, but I went after the ball a bit more the next time. Now I would say there’s a late, powerful snap through the ball when you properly release it. I should try to get some video of my swing to see how much it’s really loading and unloading, relative to my gamers. I would guess it’s significantly more, even if it only feels like a gentle load and late kick.

“In the first session, I also had some timing issues with the Fairway and Hybrid shaft, and I blocked several shots out to the right. For me, they really seem to reward a slight delay in the transition. Basically, the shafts encourage me to swing properly and accelerate late (instead of from the top). Hopefully, this will help me going forward. The shaft will definitely let me know when I’m starting to get too quick!

“In outdoor sessions, the ball flight was high and piercing for all three shafts. I hit them all significantly higher than my gamers. Once I got the timing down, I saw the TPT consistency start to shine. I am pushing all the TPT shots a little bit further right than usual, but very consistently. I was able to hit my targets accurately by aiming a little bit left (maybe 10-15 yards for driver) and letting it rip. Driver distance seemed close to my Tour Chrome. It seemed like I was adding a little distance with 4W and 3H; sometimes tough to tell on an outdoor range with range balls.

“Overall, this was a really positive start and I believe the TPT shafts will help with both distance and consistency. They give good feedback and reward a good release. They feel stable and smooth, and dispersion is excellent.”

Bonus Comment

@mikes919: “I think the key is the TPT feel. I absolutely love the feel of all three TPT shafts. I’m at the point now where I don’t even bother bringing my old gamers to swap in/out. I’m just fully committed to playing the TPT’s all the time.”

Read the entire thread, become a member, and jump in on the conversation here.

More about GolfWRX member testing

Member testing gives our forum members the opportunity to put the latest golf equipment through the paces. In exchange for getting a product to test (and keep), forum members are expected to provide in-depth product feedback in the forums, along with photos, and engage with the questions of other forum members.

For brands, the GolfWRX member feedback and direct engagement is a vital window into the perceptions of avid golfers.

You can find additional testing opportunities in the GolfWRX forums.

Equipment

Bettinardi The Antidote SB3 and SB5 putter review – Club Junkie Reviews

Published

2 weeks ago

May 25, 2026

Brian Knudson

Bettinardi launched The Antidote putters at the end of 2024 with the SB1 & SB2 models. It was their first jump into zero-torque putters and brought that solid Bettinardi feel to the hottest trend in putters. So at the end of 2025, Bettinardi expanded the line with two more models, the SB3 and SB5 putters, in order to appeal to more golfers. I have gotten to roll both models and think they are great in their own ways.

You can listen to the full review on the Club Junkie podcast, streaming on YouTube or any podcast platform — and be sure to follow on Instagram.

Both Antidote putters have faces milled from 303 stainless steel for a soft, solid feel. The faces feature Bettinardi’s signature F.I.T. Face milling, which removes 55 percent of the face material for a soft, responsive feel. Bettinardi then uses its Diamond Blast to finish the face, reducing glare and creating a durable, great-looking finish. The shafts are installed into the center of gravity of the putter head and feature a small amount of forward shaft lean. This gives each Antidote putter Simply Balanced Zero Torque to keep the face square to the target during the stroke.

The Antidote SB3

When I got the box with both putters, this was the one I was most excited for. Being a long-time fan of “fang” style putters, this one just jumped out to me as the one I need to try. Personally, the silver face and Sapphire Blue as the contrast between the two is another way to make sure the putter is aligned towards the target. This putter frames the ball really well between the fangs, or wings, on the back of the putter and the twin white sight lines that run down them. Getting this SB3 lined up to your target is easy and quick, so you can feel more confident as you are about to get that putt rolling.

The feel of the F.I.T. Face is nice and soft with just enough click to let you know the quality of your contact. While it isn’t something Bettinardi claims, I feel like the F.I.T. Face puts a nice roll on the ball, and you don’t ever encounter hopping or skipping as the ball starts out. My favorite way of explaining the feel of a zero torque putter going through the stroke is the feeling of the face pulling itself through impact. To me, the SB3 has a really stable feel, and it doesn’t want to be manipulated through the stroke. The SB1 might be the most stable feeling, to me, out of all The Antidote putters but the SB3 would be a very close 2nd place. If, and when, you strike the ball out on the toe or in the heel, you will have a feeling of the SB3 not wanting to twist and keeping the ball on line. If you are looking for a zero torque, high-MOI mallet, with great feel and sound, then The Antidote SB3 could be a great option to try.

The Antidote SB5

There are a lot of golfers who would love to try a ZT putter but just don’t love mallet putters. Thankfully, there are some really cool options out there, like The Antidote SB5 putter. To me, this is a really classic-looking putter from address with clean lines and a familiar look that should appeal to the more traditional golfer. Just like the SB3, you get a phenomenal-feeling putter, with both pieces precisely milled from 303 stainless steel. The triple site lines, one on the topline and two on the flange, again work better than I expected with this head shape, and I got comfortable with them fairly quickly.

I typically like ZT putters that feel super stable, but this SB5 seemed to fit my stroke right out of the gate. Players with more arc in their stroke might find the SB5 as something that feels more natural to them, as it will allow you to rotate it just a little more than you can with a traditional blade putter. Even with that, I feel the SB5 was really easy to square up, and I was never searching to find consistency in that. Miss hits with the SB5 were also pretty good. Shots off the heel stayed very straight and had a good, soft feel, while shots struck on the toe felt a little more vibration. Interestingly, when I did miss putts, I noticed that I missed more putts left with the SB3 and more right with the SB5. As I have spent more time with each putter, I have fallen more in love with the SB5, which is a little surprising to me. It has just become a comfortable option to use after a few years of gaming.

Bettinardi continues to excel in its ability to engineer and mill some of the finest putters you can get your hands on. With the SB3 & SB5 additions to the zero torque line, I think they have really widened who can and will play these style putters. If you have tried ZT putters in the past but haven’t found the right one due to the fact that they don’t live up to expectations, then maybe one of these Bettinardi putters can be The Antodote!

Equipment

SeeMore SBx & SKx zero-torque putter review – Club Junkie Reviews

Published

6 months ago

Dec 23, 2025

Brian Knudson

SeeMore has had a long history of making precision putters. The company gained worldwide fame after Payne Stewart won the 1999 U.S. Open with one. SeeMore’s most famous putter is the FGP Blade, which Zach Johnson used to win the Masters and the Open Championship.

SeeMore is also the creator of a unique, simple, and very effective alignment aid in their Rifle Scope Technology. RST is the use of a red oval and two white lines on the heel of the putter. When the putter shaft, or hosel, covers the red dot and you can only see the white lines on either side of the shaft, then you know the putter is lined up square. SeeMore is now adding another technology to its putter lineup, zero torque.

You can listen to the full review on the Club Junkie podcast, streaming on YouTube or any podcast platform — and be sure to follow on Instagram.

The SBx and SKx putters are the latest additions to SeeMore’s lineup. Zero-torque putters are probably the most significant and hottest segment in golf right now. The design is based on installing the shaft into the putter head’s center of gravity so the toe points up when you set the putter on a table to hold it without restriction. That balance keeps the face square to the target throughout the entire stroke, eliminating the need to square the putter face like you have to do with traditional putters. Now, this isn’t going to turn you into a tour pro, but for many golfers, it can help them consistently get the ball started on the intended line.

SeeMore did a great job with the putter’s looks, keeping it simple without straying from what they do best. The platinum color face is milled from stainless steel for a solid feel and feedback to the golfer, while the body is precision-milled from a block of aluminum. I like the contrast of silver and black as that divide gives my eye an additional alignment aid to make sure I am putting the ball at the hole, or target.

The SBx is going to have a boxier, more straight and sharp look from address with straight wings that extend back from the body. Some golfers will like that look for framing the ball in combination with the single white sight line on the flange. If you like a little softer and more rounded look, then the SKx fits the bill with more rounded fangs that taper inward to give a more compact look at address.

SKx also uses a single alignment line on the stainless topline, and if you look closely, there are two milled sight lines on the back flange that aren’t painted. If you want a little more to look down at, then you could probably fill them in with white paint pretty easily.

Both putters use SeeMore’s RST alignment, and I do have to say it is a simple yet effective way to ensure the putter is lined up correctly. Usually, if I am testing out two zero-torque putters at the same time, one of them stands out as easier to line up or get rolling on the right start line, but these two were equally matched. Lining up putts and starting them on the intended line are easy and repeatable.

Sound and feel are very important when it comes to finding the putter, as it is the voice that speaks to you. I was really impressed, and so was another WRX staff member, by how soft both the SBx and SKx putters are. The first putts were right out of the box on the office carpet, and we both looked at each other with big smiles! The horizontal milling lines on the face provide a soft feel at impact, and the sound is excellent and low-pitched. Not clicky at all, but you still get a good sound with it that is easy to recognize where you hit it on the face.

Being zero torque, the putters have a good feeling of the face staying square through the stroke. They both are a good mix of highly stable feeling and have the ability to move with an arching putting stroke, also. While they may not have the strongest feeling of the face pulling the head through impact, they should be more versatile, as many golfers find success with them.

I still feel very confident when putting with these that the ball is going to come out on its intended line. I have found that with some zero-torque putters, I tend to have a ball that misses left of the hole or target, and I didn’t find that the case with either the SBx or SKx models. I was really impressed with how consistently I was rolling the ball at the target, and I think the heavy focus on the RST allowed me to avoid overthinking other putting thoughts and swing freely.

Overall the SeeMore SBx and SKx are just solid zero torque putters with a more classic shape to them for players who find zero torque hard to look at. The milling and finish work from SeeMore are fantastic and it shows through the performance.

Equipment

Sugarloaf Social Club x Makino Tour 3 putter review – Club Junkie Reviews

Published

7 months ago

Oct 31, 2025

Brian Knudson

Most of us know Sugarloaf Social Club (SSC) as a clothing and accessory brand that has been leading the way in golf fashion and lifestyle since 2011. Ian Gilley is the founder of the brand and has created some amazing products, primarily in the soft goods category. While clubs have not been the focus of SSC, there have been some limited collabs in the space before working on the Tour 3 putter with Makino.

Makino is a Japanese golf brand founded by Shohei Nomura, an industrial designer based in Tokyo. All Makino’s products are made in small batches where precision and craftsmanship are the most important factors.

To be completely honest, I saw the putter on the Sugarloaf website and wasn’t blown away. When taking the putter out of the box, my mind changed, as the quality of the putter and classic look don’t come through with online pictures.

At first glance, the putter appears a little chunky, with larger shoulders that are very defined near the back cavity area. The bumpers are clean and a good blend of rectangular with softened edges. The topline is definitely on the thicker side, but for some golfers, like myself, it can be used as an additional alignment aid to ensure the face is square to the target.

A single sightline is machined into the flange and filled with white paint, creating a simple and traditional look. A shallow milling pattern is used on the face, featuring the model name and the “S” of Sugarloaf on the heel. The little details like the “Play or Perish” motto on the L-neck are excellent touches that let you know this isn’t a mass-produced putter.

On the grip wrapping, I was surprised to see there is a sticker that says this is an un-plated putter and could rust…but the putter is made from stainless steel? Now I am not a metallurgist, but a search on the old Google machine told me that SUS303 stainless steel uses materials in the alloy, like sulphur, that make it a little more susceptible to corrosion if you aren’t careful. No rust has shown up yet, but I guess that explains it.

On the green, this putter offers a much softer feel than I and a coworker expected from the face milling. SUS303 and the thick face create a really nice feel and sound! The putter is still responsive, however, and you will get good feedback on putts that you don’t hit on the center of the face.

The putter’s sound is also softer, with not really a click but a more gentle knock as the ball leaves the face, even with a firmer ball like the Pro V1x. Ball speed is consistent and repeatable, and while there is no real high-tech engineering in this head, it performs well enough on mishits. Distance drop off from putts off the toe and heel aren’t massive, and there is still a decent chance you get that ball to the hole.

At the end of the day, this putter is much more than I thought it was going to be. The shaping and quality of the finish are phenomenal, showcasing the skill of Makino and the creativity of Sugarloaf. Traditionalists will love the classic look, while feel players will be impressed by the softness and responsiveness the Sugarloaf Social Club x Makino Tour 3 provides.

See more in-hand photos and read what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.